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This battle had left Jacob extremely anxious. He had employed nearly every strategy in his arsenal before finally securing victory.

And this was merely a taste of what was to come, with the strongest Lord-level trainers yet to appear. Jacob worried that at this rate, his winning streak would inevitably come to an end.

Thinking about his unbroken chain of victories, Jacob felt a twinge of concern. He suspected his winning streak would likely be interrupted today, but he saw no alternative. He couldn’t simply avoid battles like a coward just to preserve his record. If he had to resort to such tactics merely for rewards, Jacob would lose all respect for himself.

Under these circumstances, Jacob believed it was better to face challenges head-on. Although the system rewards were tempting, he needed to remain true to his principles—giving his absolute best, setting aside his anxieties, and immersing himself completely in each battle.

“Grovyle, today we’ll be facing many powerful Pokémon together. We need to give it everything we’ve got.”

“Gro.” The Grovyle acknowledged Jacob’s words with a determined nod.

Jacob fought through four consecutive matches, each opponent considerably stronger than typical Elite trainers. Despite the increasing difficulty, he managed to win all four battles, extending his streak to fifteen consecutive victories. Each match had been more challenging than the last, particularly the final confrontation between his Grovyle and a Gyarados.

That Gyarados had been formidable. Its Dragon Dance combined with Ice Fang had posed a significant threat to Grovyle. If not for a well-timed ThunderPunch at the end, his Grovyle would likely have been defeated.

After the intense battles, Grovyle finally recovered following a series of treatments and an hour of rest. Jacob took his rejuvenated partner back to the battlefield to face their next challenger.

“In Arena Eight, Lord-level Trainer Isaac will battle against defending Lord-level Trainer Jacob. Battle rules will be determined by Isaac.”

“One-on-one, single battle,” Isaac stated coolly. He wore a sleek windbreaker with a black scarf wrapped around his neck. His voice carried an icy edge that matched his distant demeanor.

Standing at approximately six feet tall, Isaac possessed a well-proportioned, athletic build. His features were refined yet angular, with sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes that gave the impression he preferred keeping strangers at arm’s length.

“It’s Isaac! Why is he here? Is he specifically challenging Jacob?”

“Isaac from Shuimu High School—wasn’t he training in the Flying-type Secret Realm? When did he return?”

“It’s over. Jacob doesn’t stand a chance now.”

…

Isaac’s arrival energized the crowd. As Shimu High School’s rising star, he had already secured admissions to both Capital University and Eastbridge University. Additionally, several prestigious foreign universities had extended offers to him.

Unlike in our world, where wealthy families typically send their children abroad for education, in this world, ambitious and talented trainers almost invariably choose to study within their home country.

This difference stems from national priorities. Gifted trainers represent a country’s future high-level combat potential, and nations are reluctant to allow such talent to emigrate.

Isaac came from an affluent background. From an early age, he understood that the Long family was deeply connected to the capital. His grandfather had previously held the title of Flying-type Heavenly Kings, while his father had placed in the top eight during the capital’s ranking tournament. Though not yet officially one of the Heavenly Kings, Isaac’s father was still young—only in his early forties. Many experts considered him a prime candidate to join the capital’s Heavenly Kings in the coming years.

Isaac himself was exceptionally skilled, ranking among the top four trainers at Shimu High School. The only reason he wasn’t in the top three was due to type disadvantages against the others.

His gaze settled on Jacob. Isaac had heard his father mention Jacob’s reputation in scientific research circles. Because of Jacob, the Lin family had become highly sought after for alliances. In his father’s words, the Lin family was gaining recognition through association.

“Jacob’s talent as a trainer is secondary. What’s truly remarkable is his genius in scientific research, especially at such a young age. If you get the opportunity, you must befriend him. Maximus is a clever old fox; that’s why he quickly took Jacob as his disciple.”

Learning that Jacob was serving as the defending trainer at the Dragon Gym, Isaac had come specifically to meet him—this legendary scientific prodigy.

His first impression of Jacob was that he was handsome—very handsome—enough to be a rival, which irritated Isaac slightly. He had thought himself unmatched in appearance, but here was someone who could potentially outshine him. Who did this guy think he was?

Beyond that, Jacob seemed unremarkable. Isaac had expected a scientific genius to appear bookish and awkward. Instead, Jacob’s height and physique suggested someone who exercised regularly—hardly the stereotypical image of a brilliant researcher.

Was this what happened when someone excelled at everything?

…

“Battle begin!”

“Grovyle, time to fight again. Go for it.” Jacob gently touched his Grovyle, signaling it to enter the battlefield.

“Gro.”

The Grovyle nodded confidently. The consecutive battles hadn’t exhausted it; rather, they had ignited its fighting spirit. It stepped onto the field and faced its opponent.

“Go, Talonflame!”

As a Flying-type specialist, Isaac naturally favored Flying-type Pokémon. He possessed two Overlord-level Pokémon, while the rest of his team consisted of Lord-level Pokémon.

Although this Talonflame wasn’t Isaac’s strongest Pokémon—its combat power only reaching the peak of Lord-level—its potential reached King-level. It would undoubtedly become one of Isaac’s ace Pokémon in the future.

As soon as Talonflame appeared, its sharp eyes locked onto Grovyle as if spotting prey, excitement glinting in its gaze.

This Talonflame was impressively large. At this level of competition, physical attackers tended to be larger than average. Standing nearly six feet tall and weighing close to ninety pounds, its wingspan exceeded sixteen feet. Its razor-sharp talons gleamed menacingly, and its crimson feathers burned like actual flames.

From a battle perspective, Talonflame’s dual Fire and Flying typing made it a perfect counter to Grovyle. This fully developed Talonflame posed an immense threat to Jacob’s partner. Of all today’s matches, this one presented the most overwhelming type disadvantage.

The spectators realized this might be the day’s most exciting battle. Most weren’t optimistic about Jacob’s Grovyle, unless it could somehow evolve mid-match.

Nina watched Jacob with concern in her heart. Facing an opponent with Isaac’s reputation, combined with the significant type disadvantage, Jacob’s chances of victory seemed extremely slim.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep